German word

gen

Pronunciation

IPA/gɛn/

Meaning

  • prepositiontoward

Example

Das Flugzeug flog gen Norden.

The plane flew north.

Illustration for gen (toward)

More examples

Die Statue ist gen Westen ausgerichtet.

The statue is oriented toward the west.

Core concept

A path points straight toward a destination, often named as a compass direction.

Common phrases

  • gen Norden

    toward the north

  • gen Osten

    toward the east

  • gen Nordosten

    toward the northeast

Similar words

nach: A preposition for movement toward countries, cities, destinations, or compass directions.
in Richtung: A phrase indicating movement toward a particular direction or point.

Definition in German

zeigt an, dass sich etwas in Richtung eines Ziels bewegt.

Word origin

Gen is a shortened historical form related to gegen and preserves the older directional meaning of moving toward something.

Usage tips

  • Gen is literary or formal and occurs mainly with destinations such as gen Norden or gen Himmel, while everyday speech usually uses nach or in Richtung.

Opposites

  • vonfrompreposition

Word lists with this word